


Thunderstorms

by anasticklefics



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bonding, Gen, Thunderstorms, Tickling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 09:42:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29806518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anasticklefics/pseuds/anasticklefics
Summary: Thor helps distract Tony from a thunderstorm.
Relationships: Tony Stark & Thor
Kudos: 8





	Thunderstorms

Tony didn’t like storms. He wasn’t afraid of them, mind you, but growing up in California, on Italian beaches, being able to go to warmer weather the moment he felt like it, had left a distaste for rain in his mouth. He viewed it as something to flee from.

Thunderstorms were a whole other matter. They left him on edge, knowing he would have no say in whether or not lighting would strike on him or his loved ones. He knew from past experiences that he couldn’t keep people inside just because he was a little worried, and nowadays he prefered pretending as if he was completely fine.

“Is this your doing?” he asked Thor, having turned to find the god walking toward where he was curled up on the couch watching the sky light up again and again. Just to keep watch.

“No,” Thor said, sinking down next to him. “I’m afraid it’s more complex than that.”

“But you can control it, right?”

“I can.”

“So it won’t go feral and attack us, will it?”

Thor tilted his head at him. “No.” A beat and, “I could stop it if you want.”

“No, no,” Tony was quick to say. Quick to deny. “I’m sure the sky needs to unload or whatever.”

“Are you afraid?”

Tony had been hoping he wouldn’t ask. “I’m wary.”

“I’ve heard that’s normal. And probably wise.”

“Yeah, well.” Tony crossed his arms. “People don’t tend to view it like that. They make fun of you as soon as you feel skeptical about something.”

“Then they’re not very nice people.”

Tony waved a hand at him. “They can be. They just find it more fun to tease in the moment.”

“I take it you have experienced this before.”

He deflated. Might as well come clean. “A few times. I didn’t grow up in an area where it thundered much. I think the first time I experienced it I was around eight and I was probably traumatized.” He laughed, even though it wasn’t funny. “Howard didn’t like that. His son that was almost skilled enough to graduate high school crying over the weather.”

“Your father was, and forgive me for saying this, an asshole.”

Tony laughed again, this time because it was funny. “That, he was.”

They watched the storm for a while, side by side, as it lit up the city. Tony counted the beats between the lighting and thunder, even though it had resulted in countless of panicked moments before.

“I like watching it,” Tony said quietly. “Just to remind myself that I can’t control it. Didn’t think I’d become friends with the god of thunder, though.” He nudged Thor’s side.

Thor grinned. “On one hand I like seeing someone respect the power of thunder.”

“And on the other?”

“I don’t like seeing you so tense. Relax. I’ll fix it if things get out of hand.” He grabbed Tony’s shoulders, giving them a squeeze before pressing them downward. “Have you ever been relaxed in your life, Stark?”

Tony laughed, a nearly hysterical sound. “No. Not really.”

“I had a game I used to play with my brother,” Thor said, turning to fully face him now. “Neither of us would relax when being told, so we used certain methods to tire each other out so that we would have no choice.”

“That sounds foreboding, coming from a god.”

“It’s fun, I promise.”

“And if I say no?”

Thor’s smile turned mischievous. “Then I guess I will give you no choice. Face me.”

Tony did, his mind still partly on the storm, despite the fact that he had nothing to worry about. “Will this hurt?”

“No.”

“Will I like it?”

“It depends.”

“On?”

“How ticklish you are.”

“Oh.” Tony hated how he felt even more ticklish after those words. “You can’t judge my reactions.”

Thor let out a laugh. “That bad, huh?”

“I only found out because Rhodey is a literal tickle monster, okay?”

“I’ll remember not to cross him.”

Tony was grinning like a fool already. “Are you ticklish, Mr god of thunder?”

“Yes.” Thor’s smile turned sheepish. “But I’m stronger, so don’t get any ideas, Stark.”

This whole situation was strange, but… Tony didn’t mind it. Not really. Now that he knew what it would entail he was almost a bit excited about it.

Storm forgotten, finally, as Thor suddenly reached out to touch his ribs. “Hehey. You didn’t explain the rules.”

“Ah, yes.” Thor withdrew. “Essentially, I tickle you, but I don’t pin you or torture a spot for long. Instead, I go for various spots, just quickly touching them to make you jumpy. By the time we’re finished you will be so on edge that you will have to relax after I decide to stop entirely. It’s foolproof.”

“Okay. I can see how that works.”

“Do you want to give it a go?”

“Sure.” Tony licked his lips. “Will I get to get revenge afterward?”

“I don’t think that will help you relax, and besides, I am _very_ relaxed.”

“Uh huh.”

Thor snapped his fingers. “Focus, Tony.”

“Right.”

“Is there any spot you want me to stay clear of?”

“Not really. If you’re gonna do it, might as well go all in.”

“Oh, that I will.”

Tony raised his hands when Thor did, an automatic response. “I feel like a kid.”

Thor didn’t reply. Instead, he suddenly grabbed Tony’s leg, the one tucked beneath him on the couch, and squeezed at the knee. Tony’s let out a yell, hands pushing Thor off, but Thor wasn’t deterred. His other hand on Tony’s side, fingers wiggling into the flesh while Tony let out an involuntary giggle he would deny afterward. As he tried to twist away from the touch, Thor went for his neck, and so their dance commenced.

Tony was… well, he was pretty ticklish, he had to admit. He’d never hated being on the receiving end, but he hadn’t necessarily grown up with it in his life. His mother must’ve done it to him as a child, and he had a vague memory of Jarvis teasing the area under his chin when he was being cheeky, but Howard’s influence had reached far and beyond, and soon Tony hadn’t felt as if he could partake in childish activities even miles away from him. Afraid that he would somehow find out.

MIT had been a different story. Rhodey had found immense joy in his panicked laughter, the way he would squirm and thrash and still not be able to get away. Tony still didn’t naturally tickle people himself, but he knew all his own sweet spots now. Wouldn’t mind having tickle fights with his friends or lovers if they initiated them.

But he hadn’t reached that point with any of the Avengers. He wondered, as Thor grabbed his arm and lifted it in order to briefly torture his armpit, if this was the start of something.

“Stop,” he found himself saying, fighting the urge to stand and run away.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” was Thor’s reply, his hand on Tony’s belly, the one spot that made Tony scramble to stop him.

_Yes_ , he wanted to say. _But give me a breather_ , he wanted to say. _Give me a breather or pin me down, but whatever you do, don’t decide to never do this again._

He didn’t say any of that. Instead, he started leaning back, trying to flee, and Thor scooted closer to him and started scribbling over his lower back. How he’d known about that spot was beyond him, but Tony flew forward, almost into his arms, and Thor went for his sides again, both of them, making Tony snort through his laughter. He heard Thor chuckle, but before he could tell him to shut up he was tickling the nape of his neck, which mostly made him shudder. And then, as if suddenly remembering they existed, Thor grabbed one of Tony’s ankles and started tickling his sole. Just briefly, as he promised, but it was enough for Tony to nearly fall off the couch.

“Please,” he said, pulling and pulling on his leg, and Thor let go only seconds later only to attack his knee again, then the back of it, his thigh, his neck so suddenly Tony screamed, and then finishing off on his ribs before finally backing off. Finally letting Tony breathe.

Thor had been right. He was so on edge that when he realized they were done he practically melted onto the couch, storm entirely forgotten.

“That was fun,” he finally said, too tired to care about admitting it now.

Thor was beaming at him. “I’m glad.”

“Don’t do it in front of anyone else, though.”

“Don’t worry, Stark. It will be our secret.”

Tony let out a laugh. What a secret, all because of a thunderstorm.


End file.
